Walking With Felines

First Steps

A doctor recently said to another doctor in a letter that I was in great physical shape and was very fit. Given that this was someone talking to another professional about me I took it as a compliment. The reason I am in this state is not because I go to the gym or do any kind of formal training, I really don’t have the discipline for that, but I don’t mind taking walks, sometimes quite long ones. This started a few years back walking to work and then discovering lots of new things such as the CHAT Trust phoenix.

And Then A Cat Appeared

I don't know when I took my first cat photo that I shared on Instagram but I then realised I wanted to track them so started tagging the pictures with the hashtag #CatsInNam 'Nam being a contraction of Fenham where I live, but lots of people still mistake my 'Nam for Vietnam, which when you see the pictures you know it's not that.

Feline Better

I started actually walking out to take pictures of cats to share on social media and then got involved with Cats of Vocal on Facebook and all my cat pictures are now posted there.

I have identified areas where cats are likely to appear. The best are housing areas with pedestrianised areas that makes it safe for cats, with no cars.

Cats do come out in better weather but the last two days have been very sunny but there were very few out and about. I think maybe they were in back gardens or back yards.

I have now posted over a hundred Instagram posts often of up to ten photos and videos of cats that I meet on my travels, so that means up to a thousand cat pictures.

What this is doing is keeping me in physically good shape while I get to meet lots of interesting looking cats.

I get to meet some cat owners and they are happy to let me photograph their pets and share them with others.

The Cats Own The Neighborhood

My friend Les was worried that the cats were lost or in danger, but I have shown her that around here the Cats own the neighbourhood so are more than at home.

Though some run off, most seem happy to pose for a snapshot, and some even come up to me to be stroked and petted. Check out the videos on Cats of Vocal or the Instagram / Twitter hashtag #CatsofVocal.

I actually walk out looking for subjects most days and know areas where they are likely to be, but I am always looking for new places where I might fund most cats.

I always speak with people in the areas to assure them I am not casing the joint and show them the pictures I take and my social media posts to encourage them to join us and share some pictures of their own.

Cats do have an independence and just about tolerate humans which is why, I think, most just sit and let me take their photographs.

I always ensure that the pictures can’t be traced because I would want to put these cats at risk, although I know people love to see them, and I do get good feedback, although at the moment it is still very much a one-man show,

A Cat Conclusion

This keeps me fit and is an enjoyable pastime which I intend to keep going and benefitting from.